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Navy sinks another LTTE arms ship off Mullaitivu
By Chris Kamalendran

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A suspected arms ship of the LTTE was yesterday sunk by the Sri Lanka Navy off the northeastern coast after a brief midsea battle. At least 12 rebels were believed to be on board and their fate was not known immediately. But the LTTE claimed that they had been arrested by the Navy, a claim denied by the military spokesman Sanath Karunaratne.

Naval gunboats patrolling the north-east seas which received information about the shipment shortly after midnight had given chase and confronted the ship around 5.30 a.m yesterday, fired warning shots and retaliated when they were confronted. Defence Minister Tilak Marapana told The Sunday Times that the Navy had first received information that a large ship towing a small vessel had been observed 175 nautical miles northeast of Mullaittivu.

When the Navy contacted the ship to establish its identity, the ship was identified as 'SOSHIN' and the port of register as Belize. The Navy was told that the ship was sailing from Surabyah.

Naval authorities in Colombo had checked back with Lloyds Shipping and received confirmation that there was no such ship registered under the particular name. The ship was flying without a flag. The Navy approached the area and observed the smaller vessel apparently trying to escape.

The Navy had thereafter ordered the ship to halt and had fired warning shots and the persons on board were seen throwing the cargo into the sea, Mr. Marapana said.
He said the LTTE cadres on board had fired at the Navy prompting them to retaliate.
"Within few minutes the ship exploded," he said.

The Sunday Times learns that the Indian and Sri Lanka air forces were carrying out a joint reconnaissance mission to locate the vessel that had escaped. Two Scandinavian sea monitors left Trincomalee yesterday morning to visit the scene of the incident.

SLMM Spokesperson Agnes Bragadottier told The Sunday Times there were two different versions about the location of the incident. She said one report claimed the incident had taken place about 100 nautical miles off Trincomalee while another report said it had taken place over 200 nautical miles away from Trincomalee.
The Voice Of Tigers claimed that the ship was confronted 266 nauticle miles off the north eastern coast and 12 members on board had jumped into the sea after wearing life jackets and that the Navy had arrested these persons.

The radio said the LTTE had appealed to the montiors to ensure the safety of the 12 men. Last evening, SLMM monitors accompanied by the Navy visited the location to look for survivors. The ship had completly sunk by 8.40 a.m yesterday.

In a similar incident on March 10 Navy gunboats sank an LTTE vessel when it was smuggling weapons off the Mullaitivu coast. Yesterday's incident came hours after LTTE's Political wing leader, S.P. Thamilselvan told the SLMM chief Tryggve Telefssen that the LTTE was planning to begin sea exercises in what he called 'the sea areas belonging to the LTTE'.

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